CIB Communications

Brief

Fernox markets a respected range of leading chemical water treatment products and services globally, and is the No. 1 brand in its field. In 2010, the company launched a marketing initiative to raise awareness within the plumbing and heating market of the Fernox Total Filter (TF1). 

The Fernox TF1 is a hydrocyclonic and magnetic in-line filter that, for the first time, collects both magnetic and non-magnetic particles from central heating systems to improve longterm efficiency.

Fernox required an integrated marketing campaign to help generate 3000 sales leads, sell 8000 units from October-December 2009 and to gain coverage in all key plumbing and public sector press.

Solution

To kick-start the campaign Fernox held a press launch to the plumbing, public sector and built environment press with 19 editors attending to get the first look at the TF1. The launch alone ensured that the Fernox TF1 initial launch information appeared in all the next issues. 

Commercial advantage is gained through creativity and after the product launch was over it was vital to achieve consistent visibility within the core press. This was achieved through case studies looking at the first customers to use the product; features looking at the TF1 benefits, step-by-step installation guides; product tests; competitions; front covers and exhibition previews and reviews.

A crucial element of the initiative was the successful advertising campaign in 2010, which ran across the core heating and plumbing publications to create awareness of how quick and simple installing and maintaining a Fernox TF1 is. To complement this, a video of the Fernox TF1 being installed was added to You Tube and to date the video has had 6440 views.

Results

The PR generated 2198 single column centimetres of coverage, which was an advertising equivalent of £47,492. The Fernox TF1 was entered into the Corgi Awards 2010 and due to its originality and impact on the market was the winner of the coveted Installers’ Mate of the Year Award.

All of the marketing objectives were met:

• 3000 sales leads were generated
• 8000 units sold between October-December 2009
• Coverage was generated throughout the key plumbing and public sector press.

Furthermore, the demand for the Fernox TF1 was so high that the target orders were met before it had even hit the merchant shelves, Fernox considers it to be one of its most successful marketing initiatives to date, having now produced over 100,000 TF1s since October 2009.

Brief

The brief has always been two-fold: to increase awareness of the Zumtobel brand name amongst architects and to capture high quality data for marketing purposes.

Process

AS an established campaign now in it’s thirteenth year, it was vital that the promotional campaign generated the same level of participation as in previous years. The competition brief is for architects to take a good shot of any subject matter, with a simple disposable camera, that is visually stunning or interesting. It can capture internal or external architectural details, shots of people, or purely abstract scenes, landscapes…

Solution

A bold creative and a carefully integrated promotional campaign were key to achieving Zumtobel’s objectives. On-the-page and online adverts calling for entrants to register online were run by Building Design (BD) and BDonline.co.uk and then followed-up by a sponsored email to BD’s database and supported by BD’s sponsored enewsletters and editorial. A four page results section sponsored by Zumtobel was dedicated to the competition.

Brief

Sto is an international manufacturing organisation renowned for world-class external wall insulation, render-only systems, acoustic products and interior plasters and has become a market leader on the back of its belief in product innovation.
Sto UK required an integrated communication strategy with a clear call to action that would target both the architect and main contractor and position them as technical leaders.

Process

Sto’s technical know how outstrips its competitors and the lengths they go to when testing product are exhaustive.  In light of this the logical route was to create the Sto Testing Facility, where Sto put their products through the ultimate test.
The Facility was given its own identity, and even its own professors.  Five videos were shot, each video was based on a real test but given a tongue in cheek twist.

Solution

We needed somewhere to house the videos, so created a stand alone microsite where both the humorous and real videos could be viewed.

To promote the Sto Testing Facility both online (MPU) and on the page, an advertising campaign was developed and appeared in core titles / websites (BD, AT, Riba Journal, Building, bdonline.co.uk, building.co.uk).  Each on the page advert had a QR code which related solely to that particular advert and publication, enabling us to track which magazines were generating the most interest.

To create intrigue, and to ensure continuous traffic to the microsite, only one video was to launch each month, and the advert relating to that video was the only advert published.  A competition to win an iPad 2 with a different question relating to that video each month was incorporated to further drive traffic to the site.
Videos of the real tests were edited and branded with the Sto Testing Facility, to further drive the technical leadership message.

Brief

The brief was to completely revamp the existing website to support Minster’s ambitions to be the leading UK distributor of specialist insulation and dry lining, whilst generating sales leads through clear branding, easy navigation and interactive tools for both customers and prospects.

Challenges

Our main challenge was to integrate the website with Minster’s IT systems to develop the online account area and the branch locator without compromising the modern new design.

Solution

We developed a website using easy- to-navigate interactive tools such as a fully searchable product catalogue with a quote request facility and a branch locator, using IT web services. The password protected customer area allows Minster’s customers to register online and view their transactional history, download PDF invoices and setup personalised bookmarks for even faster access to their favourite pages. The Content Management System was built with search engine optimization (SEO) in mind and also integrates banner management functionality.

Brief

Following Forbo Flooring’s acquisition of Bonar Floors Ltd there was a need to communicate to the marketplace their new fully integrated portfolio message. The brief was to target the A&D community, end users, flooring contractors, distributors and external stakeholders raising awareness of the fact that Forbo Flooring now has:

• A fully integrated product portfolio including Entrance Systems, Carpet tiles, Flocked Flooring, Linoleum, Project Vinyl and Service products
• System solutions for every project, assuring quality and accountability from a single supplier

Process

The key was the development of an above the line campaign with maximum flexibility and longevity, and developing individual messages for a wide range of stakeholders.

The creative theme therefore had to be adapted to successfully communicate:

• The general integration message
• Product launches (across all product categories)
• Segment targeting (i.e. Health, Education, Offices, Leisure & Hospitality)
• Other messages (i.e. Product benefits, sustainability, their Tessera Direct initiative)

Solution

Forbo’s ‘your thoughts, our know how’ creative platform was developed as a fully integrated campaign that not only positions Forbo as a solutions provider but is flexible enough to deliver the general integration communication along with product specific and sector specific messages.

Brief

To support Catnic’s position as the leading name in steel lintels and expanded metal building products, the company required a communications platform that could reach both the builders merchant and its core customers.

After an 18-month period of minimal marketing activity, largely directed by the economic climate and the effect of the recession on the construction industry as a whole, it was key to deliver an integrated campaign that would re-assert Catnic’s position as the market leader in the eyes of both their merchant and end-user customers.

Thinking

Historically, response from the trade professional has been most successfully achieved through up-front product advertising and an offer or incentive. As a result a series of on the page ‘Make it Happen’ adverts were placed in both the trade professional and builders merchant press.

Integral to the campaign however was the monthly competition within Professional Builder, which reinforced the core message that, whatever the challenge, Catnic were there to help the builder make it a reality.

Solution

Catnic ‘Make it Happen’ was a campaign that successfully delivered Catnic’s unique blend of technical expertise, robust sales focus, product development excellence and deep heritage.

The competition itself was run from late 2010 and throughout 2011 in the key builders’ title, Professional Builder. An initial teaser ad was placed featuring a tip-on reply paid card which carried details of the ‘Make it Happen’ competition.

To launch the competition, Terry Smith, editor of Professional Builder agreed to ride a quad bike across the Dubai sand dunes. Readers were subsequently invited to submit their own suggestions as to things they had always wanted to do or experience. Responses were gathered both through the magazine and online, using the dedicated microsite for ‘Make it Happen’ entrants.